It’s tough getting back in the groove after a vacation. I’m struggling to do that now but I witnessed quite a groove on TV Monday night. Did you see Josh Hamilton in the Home Run Derby? WOW! It was a show though the ending was anti-climatic with Hamilton seemingly worn out from his first round phenomena. Just goes to show it’s not how you start but how you finish.
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My trip to Colorado was wonderful. We stayed at Fun Valley, our regular hang-out since 2003 and met up with the Medford family that has been in the cabin next to us for those years. We enjoyed camp fires at night (can you believe that if you are living in Texas?), good fishing during the day in 40-50 degree water, good food (not the best but the hamburgers are cooked on an old grill and come out juicy) and plenty of games of air hockey. We had a family tournament. I was the #1 seed going in to the bracket play and came out in 4th place. My son won barely beating my daughter for 1st place. Just 51 more weeks before I go back.
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How ’bout them Rangers? They probably won’t contend for the World Series but I’ve been with them through seasons where I couldn’t give away tickets in July and August but the guys are playing good ball through the first half of the season and making it fun to go to the ballpark. I’m looking forward to the August 2 game against the Blue Jays. If all things work out, I’ll be there with my son playing catch in the outfield before the game. Fun stuff and great memories.

Today is my last day in Colorado and I am not happy about it. I love it here. The weather has been cool to warm and the fishing has been decent. I don’t look forward to heading back to Texas but all good things must end and regular life will take over. I look forward to sharing some moments and maybe a few pictures when I get back.

EDIT NOTE: After writing my blog, I went to Melissa Taylor’s and saw that she is posting pictures of our Brazil trip. Check them out at http://thetaylorfamilytree.blogspot.com.

The last day of work before a vacation is always hard. I feel like I have started to mentally check-out but still need to get some things done today while my mind is already headed up 287 on it’s way to cooler climate, fish and camp fires. I’m looking forward to our annual retreat and what it always does for me mentally and emotionally. I can’t wait.

One of the things I always appreciate the most about this time is seeing the majesty of God in His creation. The mountains and streams of Colorado are also my picture of heaven (my picture includes bigger fish and more stamina to get up and down the mountains) and when I am there, I can’t help but take time to just look and see what He can do. It’s a beautiful place and when I am there, I always feel pulled closer to God.

If the campground has any Internet access, I might blog about something going on but for now I plan to be taking the next several days off from blogging. I hope to have lots of good fishing stories when I get back.

A thought that has been rolling around in my head since returning from Brazil is “what did we learn while we were there?” We saw several things while we visited a foreign country – from poverty to joy, from sensual influences to pure love. I guess my question isn’t as much about what we learned as it is about how our lives will be affected, how they will be changed as Christians. I hope my life is changing everyday – more towards Christ and away from evil. It’s hard at times though. I get desensitized to so much of what is around me, to the hurting, to the hungry, to the poor, to evil. I see it so much it becomes a blur in the speed of life. Too often it happens with those closest to me also. I don’t slow down to see them and to hear them. I bounce from one thing to another lost in a sea of business – not hearing God. I hope our trip opened many eyes and is working on many hearts. I know it happens to me each time I visit and I thank God for the opportunity I had that let’s Him into my heart more and more.
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From one trip to another. I am headed out of town again this week and hoping my destination still has little, if any, cell phone service or Internet access. It’s nice to get away and decompress, to stop living in the things that occupy my day and see God’s glory around me. I may get another posting or two up before I leave but if not, I hope you live in the peace of God and His forgiveness and mercy.

I’m back in Decatur and had a good night sleep in my own bed. It was a wonderful feeling to be home and without much problem. Our trip to Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil was wonderful and I believe God was active in everything we did. We saw and experienced some wonderful things and met old friends and made lots of new ones. I hope the seeds we planted in Aracaju bear fruit and the church there grows in spirit and number. Just in case you missed it, check out http://decaturmissions.blogspot.com for information from our trip. I hope to have some pictures and video posted online before long but need to get caught up in several places first.

It was so nice to see my wife and children when I stepped off the bus. Being home is a great feeling after being gone so long. It was also nice to ride in a suburban and truck some yesterday after going everywhere in either a subcompact taxi or on a bus.

I’m still in a bit of a fog. My exhaustion from the trip hit me hard yesterday afternoon and I sure haven’t recovered yet. I came to work a bit earlier than normal today because I’m sure this afternoon will go downhill mentally at some point.

I’ll try to get back in the posting groove before long but bear with me. I’ve got a busy 6 days ahead of me before leaving for a Colorado vacation with my family.

Today’s scripture hit me right between the eyes and is seeping into my heart as I think about it. Even in our evil ways, if we are working to do good, the Lord gives us the Holy Spirit to help us. God is good. I have been overwhelmed in the past few years as I have studied and prayed for God to reveal Himself to me by His mercy and love for me. I am slowly realizing that no matter what I’ve done, no matter what has happened to me in this life, there is One who will give me anything and everything I need – even though I do things I shouldn’t, things that are not in God’s will – I can return to Him. I have learned what it is to feel His forgiveness and I feel like the next step in my journey is to learn to use the Holy Spirit to help me be strong in times of weakness.

I ask for your prayers today. Sunday I will be leaving home and family for Aracaju, Brazil. I ask for strength to focus on God’s call for me while I am there. It’s hard to be away. I also ask that you pray for my family while I am gone and that they feel my love for every one of them even though I’m not there for a period of days.

I am brimming with excitement and fear as I leave for this journey. I am praying that God will use me and mold me while I am gone and that He will prepare the way for me when I return.

Last night’s lesson was what it would look like if we truly let our love for God show. What kind of (seemingly) crazy stuff would we do? What have you done in the past for/with people you love? Stay up all night talking? Do things with them or for them you don’t normally do? Change your habits, your appearance, your talk?

What would the world look like if we put God first and our desires and dreams and problems a distant second?

When the question was asked last night, “what would doing something crazy because you love God look like in the eyes of the world?”, the first thing that came to mind was the young girl at Columbine High School, who when confronted with a gun to her head and asked if she loved God replied yes knowing the answer would get her killed.

If I were willing to give my life for God, what would I do while alive to live in His will? What would I do for my family? What would I do for Christian brothers and sisters? What would I do for complete strangers?

I pray that I will live crazy in the world’s eyes – that I will overcome, that I will change directions, that I will go where I’m not comfortable – that I will do anything I can to live a life that is worthy of the love God has shown me.

I’m just 5 days from leaving for Brazil. What a whirlwind. There is so much going on, so much to do and life’s problems in between. Today’s scripture on my blog was one of my favorites – from the book of Psalms – “Be still and know that I am God.” There are things going on around me right now that I simply can’t control, much less even keep a handle on. All I can do is turn to God and trust Him but it is hard. I want to keep thinking of something I need to do, ways I need to respond but my prayer is that I will let God direct me.
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I am hoping to blog about our trip as much as possible. The mission blog space can be found at decaturmissions.blogspot.com. I hope you will visit it during our trip (leaving 6/15 and returning 6/25).
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I hope to post a couple of times before leaving but I ask that you include me and all those on our trip in your prayers.

Our Aracaju travel group leaves in 9 days. My son goes to camp in 2 days. We have some birthdays to celebrate within the next 2 weeks. Work is piling up around me. My suitcase needs to go on a diet. There are some things involved in preparing for a trip that create moments of stress and I think I’m finding a few of those.

I am still soliciting your prayers for our team that is going to Aracaju. We leave next Sunday and will return 10 days later. Everyone who has been is excited and all the new travelers have a mix of excitement and trepidation over what they are going to experience. There will be some specific prayer requests found at decaturmissions.blogspot.com and there will be updates from our trip posted when possible. I ask you to be in prayer for us today and throughout our trip, that our time and our message will glorify God and lead the lost to Him.
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I watched some of the Celtics-Lakers game last night. It seemed to be tight until the 2nd half (which I saw less of). I’m not sure who I would prefer to win and I’m not cheering for either team but there is a chance I’ll watch more pro basketball over the next week than I have all year. Then again, maybe not.

The Rangers are back to .500 but can’t get over the hump. They’re only 6.5 back and the Angels never know when the injury bug might bite. So far, the Rangers have lost the games I have attended but won the following night so anyone interested in going should call, get my schedule and go the next night.

My mind is mush this morning. I’m starting to feel the strain of getting ready to leave the country in 10 days and all that comes with it from work to home. I’m sure it will all come together but it seems overwhelming today. Packing restrictions in Brazil is the biggest headache at the moment.
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I wish I was up on the latest news better. I know Obama won something earlier this week and Hillary may be dropping out and may be or may not be positioning herself for a VP slot. I’m predicting the wildest and ugliest campaign season yet.
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The kids got out of school yesterday with a couple of awards and a desire to get summer vacation started. My daughter was up running EARLY this morning with the cross country team so I will be interested in hearing how that went. I don’t think it was what she was wanting to do early this morning when it was time to get up. I’m proud of her for doing it though.
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I’ve set up another blog, decaturmissions.blogspot.com for our Aracaju trip. I don’t know how much I will be blogging here while we are gone but will be trying to update that site as often as possible while we are away.